Hikiomaru's page

I think the summoner is a pretty interesting class, with a fantasy capable of delivering lots of different concepts and with the attractive of being highly customizable. That being said, the summoner that we have in this playtest in my opinion feels kinda "off".

Altough there are things that look pretty good, like the possibility of flavouring your eidolon like whatever concept you have in mind with the standarization of "it's whatever you want to say it is, it just does 1d8" not constraining concepts with evolutions that feel more like manacles instead of giving freedom, or getting it's magic attacks from your own weapons continuing on the same direction of not putting superfluous evolutions that i think is a total succes, a lot of people have voiced that this iteration of the summoner seems... Uninteresting, and that's where i think the problem is.

It's not as much a problem of balance as a problem of the summoner feeling bland and generic, like knowing that the summoner is cool but feeling like it lacks "something". It's curious that while this iteration gives us a lot more freedom on how we picture our eidolon being (your angel can be a iconic sword wielding planetar-like while mine can be a ball of light with 4 wings), it ends up feeling like "they're all the same".

A lot has been talked about how to make the summoner get around that stone in the way, but it seems to be focusing on two things mainly; making more and more different base eidolons, and trying to implement some sort of evolution point system. And while i agree with the first (more eidolon types with different defining and diverse abilities) i kinda disagree with the latter. Evolutions are a cool and unique concept, and should be part of the summoner, but we are talking about the PF2 summoner here, doing a carbon copy of the PF1 summoner is missing an opportunity for new exciting twists in desing.

The problem comes, in my opinion, from the generalist role that the summoner takes whithout exceling in anything (which makes it difficult to stand out in a game) and from the disjointed connection that the summoner and the eidolon have now, each one feeling like simply a "placeholder fighter" and "placeholder buffer" and both together feelling like almost less than the sum of it's parts (shouldn't the concept of the summoner be the exact opposite?).

So, all that said i started thinking, what could make it interesting? What mechanic could be used that, while maintaining the generalist role of the summoner, could make up for that lack of “distinction” and also be a source of customization? And i think we have it right here with tandem actions.

The tandem actions represent a part of that “special connection” that the summoner and the eidolon have, acting in consonance with each other in such a way that they produce effects greater than their separate actions. Now that is unique, that screams “we are not just two separate beings, we are a whole” but the tandem actions that we have right now feel like just actions needed to fix the summoner’s action economy. And while those are necessary, what if we delve deeper in the tandem actions in order to create something that’s unique and stands out as “the summoner thing”?

In a game without teamwork feats like PF2 is, this tandem actions can do effects that no one can replicate and that can buff the summoner while making him more interesting and not overpowered. We could add to the differentiation of the eidolons with those too, giving special tandem actions for each specific eidolon as we level up.
For example choosing a phantom could grant you a special tandem action at X lvl that improves a skill check in some way representing the phantom discussing with you with her knowledge of previous life, a beast one could give you the ability to make two combat maneuvers contributing to the MAP only once representing a primal “takedown” style or whatever better and more interesting things than this designers can find (which is not so hard considering my own design ability), giving more things to the eidolon/summoner as it levels up and making each eidolon subtype feel more special, maybe opening different summoner styles (if one of those actions makes us able to attack both improving only once the MAP or giving a bonus, you could be interested in spending resources on better armors and weapons and go in the front to fight back to back with your eidolon for example) or opening new niches for new eidolon subtypes that could feel boring otherwise, like a possible twinned eidolon ala PF1 that can use our feats with a tandem action, while also putting something special into the summoner that her PF1 counterpart doesn’t have.

I could be talking total nonsense as this is just an idea that just sparked or someone else could already have talked about this. If that’s the case sorry, but if this can spark a good debate and maybe contribute to people giving new ideas that’s all i wanted.

So, what do you think of that approach?

TL;DR: The summoner might feel more special and the eidolons feel more unique if we focus on the tandem actions system that the playtest introduced with more different actions that do effects that surpass the simple “action economy fixer” gating some of those to progression with a specific eidolon subptype

I was looking too at the Ancestors Oracle and i found out that a good dedication to play with it is the beastmaster dedication or the cavalier dedication.
Those dedications give you a fast progress animal companion that you can order whatever dominant spirit you have that turn, since the command an animal action for an animal companion is not a skill nor a strike nor a spell, thus making you able to "fill the gap" in your turns.
For example, you could cast a spell and then command your animal to move and attack, keeping up your dps, or commanding him in your battle spirit rounds, making a use of a third action that won't get a good use in a third strike and also giving you a self sufficient way of flanking, that being a good thing to improve your accuracy.
Also in the skill rounds you could make some combat maneuvers as some others said and also use your animal companion to, again, flank and keep up the dps.

I think that's a pretty good choice (and the one i'm taking if i don't see anything better) since it gives you versatility and also gives it from very early levels (level 1 if you choose elf or half-elf, altough a duskwalker ancestor oracle could be a good mechanic and roleplay choice). That way you have options for whatever thing you manage to have a bonus and also something to fill the gaps. Combine that with a good selection of spells, a focus on athletism and maybe a reach weapon or more heavier armor and you have a "jack of all trades".

I read it too as if i can do it without a check, also taking in account the fact that the bonus is to skill checks, but new to PF2 so wanted opinions. So it seems that you can bypass the penalty of the curse in some way while doing something useful, that's nice.

I was wondering what the interaction between the Command an animal action for an animal companion and the ancestors mystery is.

The animal companion rules reads:

Your animal companion has the minion trait, and it gains 2 actions during your turn if you use the Command an Animal action to command it; this is in place of the usual effects of Command an Animal, and you don’t need to attempt a Nature check.

And the ancestors mystery minor curse reads:

When you try to use one of the types of actions listed for the other ancestors, you must succeed at a DC 4 flat check.

So my question is, assuming i roll a 1 on my first turn of combat and thus i have a martial ancestor, should i try to use the command an animal skill for the nature skill and make a skill check for that (imagine i try it for a random animal) i would have to pass the flat DC in order to use the action since it's a skill check.

So, in short, Katana is not a choosable option (but i guess estoc for example would be) and Skald's Vigor gets the bonus from amplified rage.
That actually makes Skald's Vigor really good i think.

Hmm i think you are right, i missed the "type" i was reading it just as "a weapon that can be"

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/skald-s-vigor

Well my doubt doesn't come from the Finesse training but from the text of the Effortless lace (wich i didn't knew was banned on PFS, thx for pointing that out).

"If the weapon is wielded by a creature whose size matches that of the weapon's intended wielder, the weapon is treated as a light melee weapon when determining whether it can be used with Weapon Finesse, as well as with any feat, spell, or special weapon ability that can be used in conjunction with light weapons."

Since it says it's treated as a light weapon for feats spells and such, i thought that it makes the weapon a choice for special abilities too.
I'm not planning on doing oversized, just a normal katana of the apropiate size.

For the Skald part, You don't actually need to expend rounds of rage to get the bonuses of the other rage, i might be mistaken but from the text on inspired rage:

"If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian's rage, bloodrager's bloodrage, or skald's inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). However, inspired rage does not allow the ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features"

You only need to double up the rounds if you want to make use of rage powers, casting or other things, but you can count that bonuses instead of your actual raging song bonuses and still count as doing an inspired rage, not an actual rage or bloodrage.
That's why i have the doubt of if every bonus (Amplified and the one from bloodrage) counts towards Skald's Vigor

Bumping. Does anyone know the answers?

I was tinkering some builds and came across a couple of rules questions so i came to the forums seeking guidance. The questions are:

One of the builds is a URogue 3/Slayer X and my plan is to use the finesse training of the rogue with 2 Katanas with effortless lace on them. I know that effortless lace makes the Katana able to do DEX to hit with weapon finesse, but i wonder if i can pick the weapon as the choice of finesse training of the rogue so i can DEX to dmg.
If you take the effortless lace text it looks like you can apply it to finesse training, but i don't know if at the time of choice, you can choose Katana. What do you think? RAW no but RAI yes?

And the second question comes with the interaction of Skald's Vigor and Amplified Rage. Does the STR bonus of Amplified Rage counts towards the fast healing, making it fast healing 6?
Also, if i have a lvl of bloodrager, i can use the +4 bonus from that rage instead of the +2 of raging song. Does that apply also to the fast healing Skald's Vigor provide?

Well i'm not sure if it would work like that, is not like every bolt goes at the same time at the opponent, it's more like 1 bolt then another bolt then another one, hence the fact that every bolt has an attack roll and a saving throw. The fact that you roll 1 time and 1 save is for the sake of simplicity and because it slows so much if you do it different so... anyone?

Hi, i was looking at the Sound Striker archetype and i realices that, since it does an attack roll it qualifies for being able to sneak attack with, the same way you can do it with scorching ray for example.
Taken this in account, even if for sake of simplicity and not slowing the session you rule weird words as a single attack single saving throw, technically it does X rays so, will it multiply sneak attack dices per X?

And the second question, can you pick the FCB for an aasimar bard for example with performances you still don't know? for example dirge of doom since lvl 1, i know it would have no effect until you actually learn dirge of doom but i wonder if you can do it so when you learn it it benefits of FCB

Ok so straight to the point, i want to know the correct interaction between 2 things; one of that is the Effortless lace magic item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/specific-magic-weapons/e ffortless-lace) and the Titan fighter archetype (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/fighter/archetypes/paizo---fi ghter-archetypes/titan-fighter), does the effortless lace reduce the -2 penalty of fighting with the extra sized weapons titan fighter allows or it is not a penalty derived from size difference?

And 2, the new slashing grace (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/slashing-grace-combat) states that it can't be used if TWF or another hand is occupied, but what happens when you put that in a juggler bard? (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard- archetypes/juggler-bard-archetype)
can it now use slashing grace and TWF since is "hand free"? can it now use slashing grace while also wielding another object, a wand for example or a light shield?

Vestigial arm discovery

The skald can't give his teamwork feats to the AC wich i think it's the major bonus of this concept so i would only pick it if you are going for the tumor thingie with bloodrager. It gives you more constant acces to amplified rage and since you can use the stat bonus from other "rages" you have you will have skalds rage with a +4 +4.

For feats i guess you can take power attack and reckless rage for a total of -2 to hit +4 dmg while raging(wich i don't think if it's worth it), also extra rage is nice (i'm assuming int 3 is always on the table) if you are keeping the badger.
Then you can always go for the evolved animal companion (I know it's not AC feat but i guess it's worth mentioning) and give him one more set of claws (since he's cuadruped) that will ramp up your bonus to dmg. The only "not really obvious" thing i can think off with evolved animal companion is giving him the basic magic evolution, making him qualify for arcane strike wich is nice for ACs because i don't see where his swift action goes if not and also makes a quick magic DR penetration.

I was also doing a pretty similar build with sacred huntmaster and base hunter (and a weaker one with sanctified slayer plus nature domain and boon companion) so i will keep an eye on this. I've always wanted to use amplified rage.

Doesn't symphatetic rage have the problem that, when either you or you AC move even a 5ft step (wich will be practically any time since you and the AC don't move at the same time) you stop being adjacent and then the rage ends, you get fatigued and can't enter another rage?

It can also be something that the character doesn't want but it's forced to like for example, early in his youth he/she was part of an arcane experiment from his own father (just if you want to add to the drama part) that left him with a "curse" in the form of an arcane mark on his body, an arcane mark that can't be erased in any way (maybe by the hands of a god or something) and that if not feeded with the magic energy of a dying spellcaster, emits an invisible energy that kills the most beloved person for him and then the second most beloved person and so on and ramping up on speed (if he just goes all alone in the desert bla bla the mark will kill random people). Also if he tries to commit suicide the mark will prevent it somehow, like taking the control of his body momentarily.
More powerful the spellcaster is, more time the mark goes on "stand-by".
This way the character has to kill spellcasters, not because he really wants but because he needs to.
And there you have a powerful antagonist that your party won't want to kill but they will be forced to (drama FTW).

Assuming of course that i am a master of many styles and i'm fusing janni style and pummeling style, if i charge and jump so i can use janni rush and also make use of pummeling charge, how many of the dices of the pummeling charge get afected by the "double the dices" of janni rush?

Also, if i am a master of many styles, can i take pummeling charge as soon as 2nd level? it specifies that i don't need to meet the prerrequisites of the style feat if i take it with the extra feat feature from the monk, but this is basically pounce from level 2 so i think i am reading something bad.

Just as i guessed, thanks for confirming it

Pretty straightforward question. In the description of the brawlers unarmed strike it states:
"A brawler's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that modify either manufactured weapons or natural weapons."

So i was wondering if that enables the brawler to take improved natural attack with his unarmed strikes.

Also bonus question, if a brawler takes lvls on the monk class for whatever reason, does that levels count toward the unarmed strike improvement in damage?
Let's say you are monk2/brawler3, your unarmed strikes do 1d6 or 1d8?(assuming medium size) i think that it doesn't stack up but maybe i am missing something.

That's a nice way of getting it thanks. Now i will have to ponder if it is worth the lvl lost or not.

If you never get Greater Arcane Bloodrage, i guess you don't have the lvl 16 bloodline power? or you just get Greater Arcane Bloodline then and never have the True one?

Oh that's right, sorry i didn't notice.

Reading the ACG i came up with some doubts about the "arcane bloodrage" and "greater arcane bloodrage" arcane bloodline features.
Mainly i have 2 questions:

1- If i have arcane bloodrage and greater arcane bloodrage, since in the later it specifies that this is in addition to arcane bloodrage, can i take blur from arcane bloodrage and haste from greater arcane bloodrage and have the 2 spells affect me while i bloodrage? or is it just it amplifies the options of spells you are available to choose?

2- If i have the primalist archetype and i take the 2 rage powers on lvl 4 (arcane bloodrage) what happens at lvl 8 when i get greater arcane bloodrage? i can't get it because i don't have the non-greater version? i have it but just with haste/displacement?

The feat says you CAN exchange this feat for extra panache. But reading it now i have doubts, if i choose not to change it, i'm still only able to perform the level 1 deed with the panache from this feat?

Yep that's probably what i will do, take a lvl on mutated fighter and then go mouser. Thanks for the advice. Still i had the hope that this would turn up into a discussion of the various archetypes of the swashbuckler, but i guess there's other threads for that.

I'm assuming that's a mistake since it's even mentioned in the precise strike deed.

I was thinking of making a Gnome swashbuckler or maybe even a Goblin swashbuckler (just for the sake of roleplaying) and looking at the mouser archetype i can't choose wheter if it's worth to take it. Mostly because you lose opportune parry and riposte, wich seems to me a pretty good deed (more when you apply signature deed and just parry for "free").
So if anyone was in the same situation as me or can bring me his/her oppinion on the subject it will be appreciated.

Hi, i'm new at this forum (1st post)and relatively new to pathfinder (only a couple months playing), but i've seen the nice community of this forum and i made the decision of joining it. Presentations over, these are my questions:

In ARG the Claw blades item says that it makes the claws of a catfolk a light slashing weapon instead of a natural attack, so i have a few questions(assuming of course you have the claws trait):

1- If i have a Catfolk with the Claw blades item and the improved natural attack(claws) feat, does my dice of damage augment or not?

2- Does a Catfolk with the Claw blades item benefits from iterative attacks?

3- For spell effects and other abilities/feats, does it now count only as a light slashing weapon or you can qualify also for abilities/feats that have some sort of natural attack prerequisite?

Mainly my doubts are because i don't understend to how point this item substitutes the natural attack for "obvious" reasons. You still have claws and i don't see how a Catfolk can improve his claw damage(feats, spells, etc) and then put some blades on and it's over (assuming it doesn't qualify more for it because of the weapon change).

Well that's all for today, thx for answering and sorry for the bad english :)